Driven by humanity, CR motorman stops train to save 20-yr-old’s life

Thanks to an alert Central Railway (CR) motorman, who put humanity before the train schedule, a fall off a long-distance train did not end in a tragedy, but instead became a “scary, yet precious” memory for a 20-year-old Bhiwandi resident.

Thanks to an alert Central Railway (CR) motorman, who put humanity before the train schedule, a fall off a long-distance train did not end in a tragedy, but instead became a “scary, yet precious” memory for a 20-year-old Bhiwandi resident.

On March 13, Ashish Tiwari, who boarded the Mandovi Express from Thane around 8am, slipped and fell off the train near the Diva crossing. Pramod Sisodiya, 55, the motorman of a semi-fast train heading towards CST, spotted him. “He was lying between two tracks at 41/11km just near the Diva crossing. I decided to stop my train, although there was no platform around and alerted the control room. I picked him up and tried to get him into one of the compartments of the local train. But as it was peak hour, people refused to make space for him.”

Frustrated, Sisodiya then spotted a Khopoli-bound fast train, which was not crowded. “I signalled the motorman to stop and got Tiwari onto the train, and asked him to alight at Dombivli. I alerted the Dombivli control room, which then arranged for an ambulance and got him admitted to a hospital,” he said.

“I was talking on my mobile phone, when I got pushed out of the crowded train. I vaguely remember seeing a train going towards Thane and someone putting me on another train. I was told later that a motorman helped me. I am grateful to him,” said Tiwari, who is recuperating at the Sion hospital.

His brother-in-law Pramod Tiwari said, “He has hurt his knee and will need an operation. His condition is stable thanks to the motorman. He will be discharged on Saturday.”

Sisodiya, who has been working with the CR for more than 31 years, was congratulated by chief PRO Narendra Patil. AK Singh, public relations officer, CR, said, “We believe our motormen are doing a good job. We are proud of them.”